Illegal campfires prompt $48,000 in fines over B.C. Day weekend

BC Conservation Officer Service members issued 42 tickets for unlawful campfires over the B.C. Day long weekend, for a total of $48,500 in fines. The Ministry of Environment released the information to Black Press Media on Thursday.

This was despite campfire bans in place province-wide, save for the Prince George fire centre and some areas of northern B.C.

Anyone found breaking the bans can be issued a ticket for $1,150 and may be required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000. If convicted in court, the fine can reach up to $100,000 and and be paired with one year in jail.

If breaking the rules causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

This weekend, the BC Wildfire Service has set a fire danger rating of high to extreme for the entire province, which means that new fires will start easily, spread rapidly and challenge fire suppression efforts.